In this episode, I sit down with Tintin Smith, former Head of YouTube for Ali Abdaal where he helped Ali's channel generate millions in subscriber count and revenue before launching his own business helping educational YouTubers turn their channels into sustainable six-figure businesses. We explore the psychological journey of entrepreneurship including navigating imposter syndrome, pricing psychology, the insecurity of self-promotion, and other psychological aspects of running a successful online business every creator faces.

—

CONNECT WITH TINTIN SMITH:

• 100K YouTuber: https://100kyt.com/
• 100K Roadmap: https://100kroadmap.co/
• Tintin's Business Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theyoutubetin
• Tintin's Second Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tintinsmith

—

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Subscribe to the Creator Alchemy Newsletter for exclusive content and unlock the Psychology of Success Masterclass for free.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/

—

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

The Creator Alchemy Lab is a community for ambitious creators taking bold action to transform their businesses, their lives, and themselves.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/lab now to join.

—

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 From Working with Ali Abdaal to Building His Own Business

19:41 Navigating Imposter Syndrome and Charging Premium Prices

34:06 Pricing Psychology and Charging Your Worth

50:34 Doing Aligned Work and Avoiding Golden Handcuffs

01:01:30 Dealing with the Insecurity of Self-Promotion

01:19:17 Final Thoughts

—

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://coreywilkspsyd.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coreywilkspsyd

Substack: https://substack.com/@coreywilkspsyd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreywilkspsyd/

Disclaimers: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here constitutes personal or professional consultation, treatment, diagnosis, or creates a professional-client relationship.

In this episode, I sit down with one of my favorite no-bullshit entrepreneurs, Jessica Lackey, to talk about what it actually takes to build a successful online business. We dive deep into why most entrepreneurs are gambling with their careers and how to build a sustainable, meaningful business based on conviction and curiosity.

—

ABOUT JESSICA LACKEY:

Jessica Lackey is the founder of Deeper Foundations, a consulting and training firm that helps expertise-based business owners grow and scale sustainable companies rooted in stronger business foundations. She brings a unique blend of corporate expertise and soulful business building, drawing on an MBA from Harvard Business School, a coaching certification from iPEC, and experience at McKinsey & Company and Nike, Inc. Jessica has supported over 200 entrepreneurs through her programs, blending systems thinking, operational rigor, and deep values alignment.

—

CONNECT WITH JESSICA LACKEY:

• Website: https://www.deeperfoundations.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-lackey/
• Book: https://www.deeperfoundations.com/casino

—

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Subscribe to the Creator Alchemy Newsletter for exclusive content and unlock the Psychology of Success Masterclass for free.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/

—

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

The Creator Alchemy Lab is a community for ambitious creators taking bold action to transform their businesses, their lives, and themselves.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/lab now to join.

—

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Building an Online Business Feels Like a Gamble

08:10 When the Math Doesn’t Math

13:37 Understanding Your Business Model

39:04 Common Pitfalls of Early Entrepreneurship

51:10 Languaging, Frameworks, and Resonating with the Right Audience

56:33 The Power of Curiosity and Conviction

01:16:22 Leaving the Casino of Business

01:25:47 Creating an Impact with Your Work

01:36:14 Dealing with the Fear of Ridicule

01:40:45 The Harsh Truth About Building a Business

01:59:35 Advice on Building a Successful Business

02:05:09 Final Thoughts

—

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://coreywilkspsyd.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coreywilkspsyd

Substack: https://substack.com/@coreywilkspsyd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreywilkspsyd/

Twitter: https://x.com/CoreyWilksPsyD

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreywilkspsyd/

Disclaimers: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here...

The title says it all.

—

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Subscribe to the Creator Alchemy Newsletter for exclusive content and unlock the Psychology of Success Masterclass for free.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/

—

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

The Creator Alchemy Lab is a community for ambitious creators taking bold action to transform their businesses, their lives, and themselves.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/lab now to join.

—

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

01:24 Stop Waiting for Permission

04:08 You’ll Never Find Time

05:52 The Path of Least Resistance is Often the Most Crowded

07:42 You Can Sell Without Being Salesy

11:25 If You’re Not Making Money, You Don’t Have a Business

13:23 A Hobby Work Ethic Won’t Drive Business Results

16:43 Hustle Culture is Just Virtue Signaling for Entrepreneurs

20:09 There’s Prestige in Solving Hard Problems, Not in Making Problems Hard to Solve

21:43 Ideas Don’t Matter

23:27 Listen to People Who Open Their Wallets, Not Their Mouths

27:02 Branding is a Waste of Time

29:20 People Don’t Follow You for Your Content

33:05 Don’t Try to Be a One-Person Media Empire

35:48 Be Less Impressed, More Involved

38:20 No One Wants You to Pick Their Brain

41:26 Who You Can Text Matters More Than Your Follower Count

42:58 Don’t Romanticize Being a Lone Wolf. Lone Wolves Die in the Wild

45:01 Focus on Building a Portfolio of Assets

47:07 Don’t Live on Rented Land

52:31 If You’re Stuck at a Fork in the Road, It Means Both Paths Are Viable

55:20 Metrics Matter Until They Mislead You

57:13 Audience Capture Can Cause You to Lose Yourself

01:01:43 Forget About Work-Life Balance. It’s a Lie

01:04:55 If You Don’t Respect Your Value, No One Else Will

01:07:38 Confidence is Overrated

01:10:08 No One Knows What They’re Doing

01:12:32 It Feels Hard Because It Is Hard

01:15:56 No One Gives a Shit About You

01:17:58 Stories Move People, Not Statistics

01:20:44 Know When to Widen Your Vision and When to Put On Blinders

01:25:58 Don’t Live Online. Live Offline and Share Online

01:28:23 Pick What You Want to Be Great At, Then Accept Being Mediocre At Everything Else

01:30:33 Forget Trends. Focus on Timeless

01:36:49 It’s Going to Feel Like Drinking from a Fire Hydrant for a Long Time

01:39:16 Focus on Resonance Over Reach

01:42:03 Embrace Your Dark Horse Era

01:44:59 Most Productivity Issues Aren’t Due to a Lack of Discipline, But an Abundance of Fear

01:47:17 Final Thoughts

—

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://coreywilkspsyd.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coreywilkspsyd

Substack: https://substack.com/@coreywilkspsyd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreywilkspsyd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreywilkspsyd/

Disclaimers: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here constitutes personal or professional consultation, treatment, diagnosis, or creates a professional-client...

Are you secretly afraid of success? In this solo episode, I dive into why fear of success is so common, even when you deeply want to achieve success. You'll also learn an exercise to help you navigate fear of success.

—

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Subscribe to the Creator Alchemy Newsletter for exclusive content and unlock the Psychology of Success Masterclass for free.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/

—

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

The Creator Alchemy Lab is a community for ambitious creators taking bold action to transform their businesses, their lives, and themselves.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/lab now to join.

—

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://coreywilkspsyd.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coreywilkspsyd

Substack: https://substack.com/@coreywilkspsyd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreywilkspsyd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreywilkspsyd/

Disclaimers: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here constitutes personal or professional consultation, treatment, diagnosis, or creates a professional-client relationship.

Lawrence Yeo is the founder of More to That and author of The Inner Compass. He's legitimately one of my favorite modern writers and has been instrumental in helping me improve my ability to think clearer, tell better stories, and live more meaningfully. In today's episode, I sit down with Lawrence to dive deep into the psychological barriers that keep creators from doing their best work. We explore how to transform imposter syndrome into creative fuel, why authenticity beats algorithmic optimization, and how philosophical frameworks provide more practical guidance than traditional self-help for navigating creative uncertainty, building sustainable businesses, and developing unshakeable conviction in your ideas.

—

CONNECT WITH LAWRENCE YEO:

Website: https://moretothat.com/

Lawrence's book, The Inner Compass: https://compass.moretothat.com/

—

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Subscribe to the Creator Alchemy Newsletter for exclusive content and unlock the Psychology of Success Masterclass for free.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/

—

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

The Creator Alchemy Lab is a community for ambitious creators taking bold action to transform their businesses, their lives, and themselves.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/lab now to join.

—

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Imposter syndrome signals you're entering new territory and growing, rather than being a character flaw to eliminate.
• Original ideas don't exist - your unique value comes from filtering universal concepts through your personal experience and worldview.
• Tactical vulnerability means sharing personal struggles specifically to serve your audience, not just to process your own emotions.
• Writing like you naturally speak creates more authentic connection than trying to hit artificial reading level targets.
• Perfectionism paralyzes creators because achieving it would make creating the next piece even more daunting.
• Stories move people more than statistics - personal anecdotes create lasting impact where data fails.
• Mastery (refining intuition) creates more sustainable success than status-chasing (collecting attention).
• The people you attract reflect the ideas you share - shallow content brings shallow thinkers.
• External validation becomes addictive when you're in periods of self-doubt, but focusing on craft builds genuine confidence and conviction.
• Monetizing creativity requires attracting people whose values align with yours, not just anyone willing to pay.
• Trusting yourself is learnable through repeatedly doing work for its own sake without external pressure.

—

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Genesis of More to That

05:16 How Lawrence Deals with Imposter Syndrome

09:46 The Art of Remixing Ideas

14:42 The Power of Authenticity and Vulnerability in The Creative Act

25:38 Common Writing Advice to Avoid

33:15 Why Perfection is Overrated

40:39 Knowledge vs Wisdom in the Age of AI

48:25 Krishnamurti, Philosophy, and Navigating Existence

01:17:08 Why We Wait for Permission to Hit Publish

01:25:52 The Pursuit of Mastery and Craftsmanship

01:32:25 Staying True to Yourself and Resisting Misaligned Incentives

01:49:49 The Inner Compass

—

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website:

What is marketing, actually? And how can you improve your marketing to grow your audience, revenue, and resonance in an authentic way? In today's episode, I sit down with my friend Amanda Natividad, head of marketing at SparkToro, to explore the psychology behind effective marketing. We discuss zero-click content, parasocial relationships, and why the best marketing doesn't feel like marketing at all, and Amanda shares actionable strategies for creators who want to build authentic connections that convert.

—

ABOUT AMANDA NATIVIDAD:

Amanda Natividad is VP of Marketing for audience research startup, SparkToro. In her spare time, she co-hosts the Meme Team podcast and writes a marketing newsletter called the Menu (with over 16k subscribers). She’s also the creator/teacher for Content Marketing 201, a contributor for Adweek, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, and a former journalist. Amanda previously led marketing for Growth Machine, led marketing for Liftopia, built Fitbit’s B2B content program, and led content and communications for NatureBox.

—

CONNECT WITH AMANDA NATIVIDAD:

Website: https://amandanat.com/

Newsletter: https://amandanat.com/subscribe/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandanat/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandanat/

Twitter: https://x.com/amandanat

Meme Team Podcast: https://www.memeteampodcast.com/

—

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Subscribe to the Creator Alchemy Newsletter for exclusive content and unlock the Psychology of Success Masterclass for free.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/

—

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

The Creator Alchemy Lab is a community for ambitious creators taking bold action to transform their businesses, their lives, and themselves.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/lab now to join.

—

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing because people naturally resist being sold to but want solutions to their problems.
• Content marketing should serve specific business functions rather than just creating content for content's sake.
• Zero-click content strategy focuses on providing value directly on social platforms instead of driving traffic away from them.
• Parasocial relationships allow creators to scale intimacy and build genuine connections with large audiences.
• Content pillars act as guardrails that protect your mental health while maintaining focus and audience expectations.
• Blog posts and long-form content serve as proof and defense for your expertise, not just standalone pieces.
• People follow creators for who they are, not just their content, which is why personal connection matters more than perfect information.
• Building algorithmic capital through consistent valuable content allows you to occasionally promote without being penalized.
• Making it easy for people to understand what you sell and where to buy it is fundamental but often overlooked.

—

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Why the Best Marketing Doesn’t Feel Like Marketing

01:24 - B2B vs B2C Marketing: Key Differences

04:25 - The Truth About Content Marketing

13:10 - Personal Brand vs Reputation: Building Authentic Authority

22:46 - Parasocial Relationships: Scaling Intimacy in Marketing

35:20 - Managing Influence and Setting Professional Boundaries

41:09 - Marketing Psychology in an Algorithm-Driven World

44:15 - Why Zero-Click Content and Algorithmic Capital Are the Future of Marketing

50:08 - People Hate Being Sold to But...

Dr. Josh Williams is a clinical psychologist, natural body builder, father, human performance expert, and a personal friend who inspires me to be a better version of myself every day. In this episode, we dive deep into the psychology of fitness (how to get in shape and stay fit), modern men and masculinity issues (and why so many men feel lost today), emotional intelligence and identity formation, and how sacrifice is a requirement for success in all areas of life.

—

CONNECT WITH Dr. Josh Williams:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strengthritual/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoshWilliams

—

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Subscribe to the Creator Alchemy Newsletter for exclusive content and unlock the Psychology of Success Masterclass for free.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/

—

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

The Creator Alchemy Lab is a community for ambitious creators taking bold action to transform their businesses, their lives, and themselves.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/lab now to join.

—

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Soreness doesn't equal workout quality - consistency and progressive overload matter more than how you feel the next day
• Identity beats goals for creating lasting behavioral change - "I am someone who works out" is more powerful than "I want to work out"
• Environment beats willpower every time - design your surroundings and remove temptations rather than relying on self-control
• Modern men lack clear role scripts while women successfully adapted to new opportunities and expectations
• High achievers often create emotional compression that limits both their highs and lows to maintain performance
• Sacrifice is inevitable in life, so choose what you give up consciously rather than letting it happen by default
• The lineage perspective creates meaning beyond personal achievement by viewing your life as part of a generational chain
• Turn toward difficult emotions instead of avoiding them - this builds resilience and emotional intelligence over time
• Community and accountability accelerate progress in fitness, business, and personal development more than solo effort
• Default systems protect your most important values by creating automatic behaviors that don't require constant decisions

—

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Fitness Myths & How to Optimize for Longevity

13:22 What Holds People Back from Getting in Shape

22:40 The Psychology of Sacrifice and Building Your Ideal Life

32:35 The Power of Constraints to Achieve Your Health Goals

52:36 The Modern Men and Masculinity Crisis

1:16:00 The Lineage Perspective: Living for More Than Yourself

1:25:50 Emotional Intelligence, Expression, and Compression

1:49:06 Striving, Excellence, and Enjoyment

1:56:25 How to Design Your Environment for Excellence

—

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://coreywilkspsyd.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coreywilkspsyd

Substack: https://substack.com/@coreywilkspsyd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreywilkspsyd/

Instagram:

What happens when your entire business gets destroyed in 3 days? Jay Acunzo, storytelling expert and former head of content at HubSpot, shares the messy reality of reinvention and how he discovered his most defensible advantages. We explore why people follow you for YOU (not your content), the psychology behind authentic storytelling vs. performance, and Jay's frameworks for escaping the "commodity cage"—including why you should focus on being their favorite instead of being the best. Plus: the simple 4-part story structure that actually works and how to "ladder down" your ideas to create deeper connections.

—

CONNECT WITH JAY:

https://jayacunzo.com/

https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo

https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter

Check out Jay's podcast, "How Stories Happen" wherever you get your podcasts

—

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:

Subscribe to the Creator Alchemy Newsletter for exclusive content and unlock the Psychology of Success Masterclass for free.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/

—

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

The Creator Alchemy Lab is a community for ambitious creators taking bold action to transform their businesses, their lives, and themselves.

Go to https://www.creatoralchemy.com/lab now to join.

—

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Getting "punched in the mouth" by unexpected events often forces necessary reinvention that turns five-year plans into 30-day survival plans
• Ask yourself "What am I the best at doing in a room of 100 people?" to find clarity about your unique strengths and defensible advantages
• The messy, unglamorous parts of reinvention are where you actually find your best ideas and truest self
• People don't follow you for your content—they follow you for you, which means your imperfections are often what create the strongest connections
• Use "tactical vulnerability"—share imperfect, human aspects of your story that are relevant for building connection or illustrating a point
• Stories need four building blocks: status quo, tension, turning point, and resolution (remember the itsy bitsy spider)
• Don't just share expertise—escape the "commodity cage" by developing a unique premise or perspective
• "Don't market more, matter more"—focus on resonance (how much people care) over reach (how many people see it)
• "Don't be the best, be their favorite"—people make emotional choices and rationalize them later
• Move from being an expert who shares information to an explorer who asks questions and launches investigations
• "Ladder down" your ideas: start with an easy reframe, then your core premise, then the best-case outcome
• Bringing conviction to your ideas and learning to package them effectively creates a defensible position in a noisy world

—

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Jay decided to dedicate this chapter of his life to storytelling and speaking

09:00 How Jay reinvented his business after everything burned to the ground

14:57 The emotional toll of pivoting your business

18:20 How to find your best ideas to share

21:41 The trap of being a meta-creator

23:43 Being an expert vs. an explorer

26:30 Imperfection and building a connection with your audience

33:25 AI and the Milli Vanilli Effect

37:54 Being authentic vs being performative

49:38 The...